Preventing Falls and Saving Costs

Living Independently and Falls-free Together Wellness Program researchers determined lower risk of falling and of claims for long-term services and support in patients enrolled in a fall-prevention program.

Federal Practitioner. 2015 July;32(7):e12

July 27, 2015|Federal Practitioner

A fall-prevention program developed by HHS costs $500 per person, but it saves $838 per person. More important, it significantly reduces the risk and rate of falls, according to the researchers.

The Living Independently and Falls-free Together (LIFT) Wellness Program is based on research of risk factors and interventions. The program researchers focused particularly on areas that have not been thoroughly addressed, such as cost-effective strategies in long-term care.

The LIFT program, which was tested in a randomized controlled trial conducted from 2008 to 2012 among long-term care patients, includes detailed telephone screening of at-risk patients and clinical in-home assessments of health, physical functioning, falls history, home environment, and medications.

In the first year after the intervention, participants in the intervention group had an 11% lower risk of falling and an 18% lower risk of injurious falls, compared with the control group. Over the 3 years after the intervention, the intervention group had a 33% lower incidence of claims for long-term services and support, compared with the control group. The researchers further estimate a return of $1.68 on every dollar invested in program delivery.